Josef hobwitz



(No Model.)

J. HO-RWITZ.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 355,994@ `'Patented Ja 11', 1887.

N. FETERS, Phowuthngnpmr. waminghm. D. c.

Ni'rn Fl RE-ESCAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,994, dated January 11, 188?.

Application filed September 16, 1886. Serial No. 213,709. (No model.) I

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Y ABe it known that I, JOSEF HORWITZ, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following Figure 1 represents a face View of my re escape. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same as applied to a building and in position to permit a person to slide down on the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the tire-escape in position to receive a person jumping down from the upper portion of a building.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates an apron made of duck, sail-cloth, or other strong textile material, and in practice about three yards (more or less) wide and forty yards (more'or less) long. To one end of this apron is rmly secured a bar, B, of iron or any other rigid material, which serves to keep the apron stretched laterally, and to which is attached another bar, O, by means of straps D, at such a distance that when the ends of the bar C are brought to bear against the inside of a windowframe the bar B will be situated outside of the window-sill, allowing the apron to hang down to the ground.

On the ledges of the apron are secured at suitable distances apart straps a and corre-Y sponding buckles, b, so that the apron, or a portion of the same, can be brought into the form of a tube, as indicated in Fig. 2, and close to the bar B, and near tothe edges of the apron, 4g

the street, straight across to the other side, 5(

becomes too steep for practical use, and it must therefore be carried along the street a certain distance, as indicated in Fig. 2. If this is done one edge of the apron becomes slack close to the bar B, and a person attempt ing to slide down on the apron is liable to slide off close to its upper end and to fall down into the street. In order to avoid such mishaps I have applied the tucking-straps, by means of which the slack of either edge of the apron can be taken up whenever it is desired, and the apron can be brought in such a position that a person sliding down over it cannot slide oft` at the top.

In some cases it is desirable tostretch the apron outward from a building in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it is in. position to catch a person jumping down from au upper window. In such a case the apron must be stretched laterally as Well as longitudinally, and I have therefore provided the same on its edges with a series of handle-loops, G, whereby the persons in attendance are enabled to take a ijrm hold on each edge of the apron and to keep said apron taut in every direction.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the apron A and the bar B, of the tucking-straps E and buckles F, .substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have lhereunto set myvhand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` JOSEF HOEWITZ. [L s] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

